Albert Littlejohn Genealogy and Family History Notes

1871 Ontario Canada Census
film C9980, 52 Victoria Co S, B-1 Ops Township,
Page 47, Line 12, Dwelling 169, Family 169, 15 April 1871
Littlejohn
Humphrey Male, 45, married, Farmer
Harriet Female, 46, married
Ascot Male, 23, Farmer
William Male, 21, Farmer
John Male, 19, Farmer
Ann C? Female, 17
Henry? Male, 15
Mellissa Female 11
Emanuel Male 9
Sam’l Male 7
James Male 6
Thomas Male 4
Albert Male 2
Thomy Male, 8/12 Aug

1881 Census of Canada View Census
Albert Littlejohn
Male
Birth Year <1868>
Birthplace Ontario
Age 13
Occupation Going To School
Marital Status
Ethnic Origin English
Head of Household Humphry Littlejohn
Religion Bible Christian
Source Information:
Census Place Ops, Victoria South, Ontario
Family History Library Film 1375878
NA Film Number C-13242
District 129
Sub-district A
Division 2
Page Number 12
Household Number 41

North Dakota Naturalization Records:
Name: Littlejohn, Albert
Country: Canada
Date: 2/22/1892
Page: 065
Volume: D-7
Papers: 1st
County: Pembina

Marriage Licenses Issued 1894, Pembina County, ND
December
Albert Littlejohn to Ella M. Sinclair

1900 United States Federal Census - View Census
State: North Dakota
County: Pembina
Locale: Midland Township
ED# 116
Series: T623
Roll: 1230
Page: 147
Enumerated Fourth June 1900
1. 30
2. 31
3. Name: Littlejohn, Albert
4. Relationship to head: Head
5. Color or race: W
6. Sex: M
7. Month and Year of Birth: May 1868
8. Age at last birthday: 32
9. Single or Married: M
10. Number of years married: 5
11. Mother of how many children:
12. Number of living children:
13. Place of birth: Canada Eng
14: Fathers place of birth: England
15: Mothers place of birth: England
16. Year of immigration: 1988
17. Number of years in the United States: 12
18. Naturalization: NA
19: Occupation: Farmer
20: Months not employed:
21: Attended school:
22. Can read: Yes
23: Can write: Yes
24. Can speak English: Yes
25: Owned or rented: O
26. Owned free or mortgaged: M
27: Farm or home: F
28: Number of farm schedule: 31

Saskatchewan Homestead Index
File Number 755106
Name Littlejohn, Albert
Part SE
Section 28
Township 5
Range 5
Meridian W2

1906 Census of the Northwest Provinces of Canada - View Census
Name: A Littlejohn
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Age: 38
BirthPlace: Ontario
Family Number: 249
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouses's Name: Ella
Province: Saskatchewan
Sub-District Description: Townships 4, 5, 6 In Ranges 4, 5, 6 West of The 2nd M
Sub-District: 9
Page: 26


Littlejohn Brothers 1906
Back row: James, Samuel, Albert, Thornley
Front Row: Emanuel, William, Arscott (In photo), John
Missing is Henry who lived in Ontario and Thomas who passed away in 1893 Thanks to Marian for the photo.

1911 Census of Canada View Census
Name: Ab Littlejohn
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Age: 43
Birth Date: May 1868
Birthplace: Ontario
Family Number: 5
Relation to Head of House: Head
Tribal: English
Province: Saskatchewan
District: Assiniboia
District Number: 207
Sub-District Number: 20
Census Year: 1911
Page: 6

Littlejohn, Albert & Ella

Albert Littlejohn was born in May, 1886, near Lindsay, Ontario, where his parents had emigrated from Devon, England, by sailing ship in 1856. In 1892, the Littlejohn and Archibald Sinclair families, along with others from that area, moved to Glasston, North Dakota, to farm.

On December 11,1894, Albert married Ella Mabel Sinclair, eldest daughter of Archibald and Maryanne Sinclair at Glasston, North Dakota. Mrs. Littlejohn was born in June, 1873, near Lindsay, Ontario.

In Glasston, their first daughter, Myrtle, was born in May 1897, and a second daughter, Fledda, was born in July 1901.

In 1904, the Littlejohn and Sinclair families left North Dakota to take up homesteads in the Browning district. In 1906, Albert Littlejohn bought the Isaac Cross farm at Arcola, one and a half miles west and a half-mile north of the town. They moved to the two Storey log house on the farm in August of that year.

A small piece of land was acquired from the farm for the Arcola Cemetery. Mrs. Littlejohn, along with the help of one or two others, would take her cut flowers and bolts of cheesecloth to line the cold stark graves before a funeral. This was, of course, before the time of funeral directors with their improved equipment.

Myrtle and Fledda attended Clare School, then went to high school in Arcola.

I, Ruth, the third daughter was born in June 1913. My dad, with no sons, hired help in the busy seasons, usually young men from the old country anxious to begin a new life in a new country. Later, he was able to hire neighborhood boys as they grew up.

About 1912, a new barn was built. With its stone foundation and rounded tin roof, it was a landmark for many years. In 1917, a new house was built. It had many new features, most of them my mother's innovations- a bay window, a dumbwaiter and a built in china cabinet. World War 1, then the depression intervened and the planned verandahs and stucco finish were never completed. The house burned in 1892.

My mother and sisters, Myrtle and Fledda, were members of the Rebekah Lodge, Homemakers and took part in many community activities. Mother exhibited her crafts, quilts, knitting as well as her preserves and baking in the local fairs.

Father was a member of the Oddfellow and Rebekah Lodges. He was active in the Agricultural Society, the local telephone company, the municipality, and other community endeavors.

Dances and card games were held in our home. They lasted most of the night. My dad was always the " floor manager" or the " square dance caller ".

Dad also had a large steam engine. A neighbor, Jim Kerr, owned the separator. They did their own harvesting and also harvested for neighbors. Usually a cook car went with the machines and the women and girls took turns serving meals and lunches for the twenty or so men hired during threshing time. A "bunk house" on wheels also accompanied the outfit.

Albert and Ella farmed until the end of 1933 and then retired to Winnipeg. Mother died October 3, 1944, and Dad in November 1947. Both are buried in the Arcola Cemetery.

Myrtle went to Normal School in Regina and then taught at Yankee School at Browning. She married Hazael Wood, from Browning and they moved to his dad's homestead (at Browning) and farmed there until 1929 when they sold out and moved to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. They have two children, Fern and Glenn. Hazael passed away in 1973 and Myrtle in 1984.

Fledda married Arthur Marsh (see his story) .

Ruth married Thomas McIlrath in 1951 and they made their home at Burnaby where Ruth still lives. Thomas died in 1982.

Arcola - Kisbey
Golden Heritage
Pages 556 & 557

The Littlejohn Family

In the late 19th Century, many people from eastern Canada and Europe were migrating to the western plains of North Dakota and the Northwest Territories to settle on homestwads of 160 acres and make new homes for themselves and their families.

In 1889, several families from Lindsay, Ontario moved to North Dakota and settled in the Glasston and Hamilton Districts, some twenty-five miles from the Canadian border and south of Winnipeg. Two families whose families intertwined down through the years were the Littlejohn's and the Sinclairs.

Humphrey and Harriett (Metheral) Littlejohn, who had ten sons and three daughters, moved to Glasston and settled there. Two sons later moved back to Canada - Albert and Thornley, who settled in Winnipeg.

Archie and Maryanne (Maunder) Sinclair, who had two sons and four daughters, settled in the Hamilton and later all moved to the Northwest Territories. In 1905, a portion of that territory was being divided into Alberta and Saskatchewan.

In 1903, Archie Sinclair and son Will, and Albert Littlejohn filed on a homestead each in the Northwest Territories, in the district now known as Browning, Saskatchewan.

In April, 1904 Albert Littlejohn, Will Sinclair and Ernest Wilfred Littlejohn loaded a freight car each with only necessities - four or five horses, two or three cows and calves and poultry with enough feed to do for the long journey to their homesteads - the household furniture was packed in, plus a cat and a dog; a corner of the car was reserved for the men. The journey to Winnipeg was slow, with the usual scrutiny of the Gretna Customs and Immigration Officers.

The settlers effects were unloaded at Alameda; the cattle were grouped together and Ernest Wilfred Littlejohn, on horseback, began the long slow trek to the homesteads, approximately thirty miles away. Darkness overcame him near a haystack, and he spent the night in the haystack, with the cattle and horse nearby - a real pioneering experience for a young boy of twelve years. The next day he and the animals arrived at the Archie Sinclair homestead, which was always the center of the community. A few days later the rest of the stock, implements , furniture and supplies arrived.

A week after Albert and Will left on the freight, Ella (Sinclair) Littlejohn, with Myrtle and Fledda; and Minnie ( Budd Littlejohn) with Archie Jr. , Alma and Joe left by train for their new homes via Winnipeg, where they had to wait for a train running a day late because of spring floods - flat lands were lakes and bridges were washed out. The bridge over Moose Creek, between Oxbow and Alameda was gone so they were rerouted by Regina, Moose Jaw, Weyburn, Estevan and finally Alameda. They stayed in a hotel for several days waiting for someone to come and get them. There was no communication of any kind, so no one knew when they would arrive. Finally, Andrew Fornwald arrived in town for supplies. Whenever anyone when to town he stopped and got the mail for all the neighbors. After he had a load of lumber, shingles, groceries and any other conceivable necessity, they loaded on board his wagon also, along with suitcases and bags. They left about one o'clock in the afternoon, on the long tedious journey to their new homes. There was a prairie trail the first few miles. As they proceeded in the spring sunshine, the trail grew fainter, till only a faint wagon track was visible. It was after dark when they arrived at Archie Sinclair's Homestead. They were tired and hungry - a good hot meal and a happy reunion took place.

Our new life had begun. Dad (Albert Littlejohn) built a small shack which we lived in for the summer - it was later used for a granary.A small two-bedroom house and a barn were built later in the summer, both made of lumber.

Many old timers and their works will be remembered down through the generations. May this brief history of the Littlejohn- Sinclair families bring pleasant thoughts and happy memories.

"Poet's Corner"
Lampman, Saskatchewan
Page 727


Feb. 1946
Deaths

The sudden passing of Albert Littlejohn in Winnipeg on November 28th, was a shock to his many friends and relatives.

Mr. Littlejohn was born near Lindsay, Ontario on May 31st, 1868, one of a family of thirteen of which one brother survives, Jas. Littlejohn of Glasston, North Dakota. In early manhood, the family moved to Glasston, North Dakota, and in 1894 he married Ella M. Sinclair, who predeceased him in 1944.

In 1904, Mr. and Mrs. Littlejohn, with their family, moved to a homestead near what is now Browning, where they were among the first pioneers of that district. In 1906, they moved to the Arcola district and lived two miles northeast of town until 1934, when they moved to Winnipeg for the last few years of their lives.

Mr. Littlejohn is survived by three daughters, Mrs. H. Wood (Myrtle) and Mrs. A.D. Marsh (Fledda), both of Sault St. Marie, Ont., and Miss Ruth Littlejohn of Shaughnessy Hospital, Vancouver, B.C.; also three grandchildren, Miss Fern Wood and Lorne Marsh, both of Sault St. Marie, and Glenn Wood of Montreal.

A funeral service was held in Mordue Funeral Parlors, Winnipeg, on December 1st, with Rev. McMillan officiating, when many former Arcola friends attended to pay their last respects. Burial was made in Arcola Cemetery on December 3rd, following a service in St. Andrew's United Church, with Rev. A. E. Morrison officiating. Sellars' Funeral Home in care of arrangements. The choir was in attendance and a solo, "The Old Rugged Cross", was sung by Miss Ella Ditchburn. At the graveside, the Oddfellows held their committal service. The many flowers paid a silent tribute to one who was well known for his genial and kindly nature and who never passed up an opportunity to lend a helping hand.

Pallbearers were Messrs. Ross and Roy Marsh, J. H. Hislop, A. E. Samis, E. Hurst and Wm. Edmonds.

The Moose Mountain- Star Standard
Arcola, Saskatchewan
Wednesday, December 17, 1947

Littlejohn
On November 28, 1947 at his residence Ste. B. Melrose Block, Winnipeg, Albert Littlejohn. Remains resting at Mordue Bros. Funeral Home, Broadway and Edmonton. Funeral announcement later.
Winnipeg Free Press
Saturday, November 29, 1947
Page 26

Littlejohn
On November 28, 1947 at his residence Ste. B. Melrose Block, Winnipeg, Albert Littlejohn, aged 79 years. Funeral service was held 4 p.m. Monday at Mordue Bros. Funeral Home, Broadway and Edmonton. Interment will take place at Arcola, Sask.



More About Albert Littlejohn:
Burial: 03 December 1947, Arcola Cemetery, Arcola, Saskatchewan, Canada
Emigration: 1892, To Glasston, North Dakota, USA
Immigration: 1904, To Browning, Saskatchewan, Canada
Known As: "Ab"

Census images sent by Myrna.

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